Ready...set...PUSH!

I know it has been quite a while since one of us a posted, and this is not meant to be an excuse, but let me just give you a quick snapshot of the past few weeks: our last summer teams leave, we say goodbye to the Brock family (sniff, sniff, tear), we throw ourselves (Ok, mainly Bob) headfirst into trying to finish our little pink 'casa' (which, I believe, should kick off a new show: International Extreme Home Make-Over), I enjoy 8 days of new teacher training:-), by God's grace we move INTO the awesome little house, we find a driver to take us 1-way to school and finally, start school this past Thursday. Throw in Maggie's Sweet 16th birthday (complete with a set of braces:-), a 'free' dog that came with Bob's used motorcycle, and by golly we've got ourselves a good old fashioned Ecuadorian lifestyle: crazy, unpredictable, and totally on God's schedule. 

We have learned alot of things our first few months here. We have learned to wait on buses. We have learned not to eat the lettuce and tomato in restaurants. We have learned that our new friends and neighbors love to chat, kiss you on the cheek when they greet you, and help you with your Spanish. Our new friends have smiles like none other. The youngest child can melt your heart while the oldest woman has a certain beauty in her smile that shows both outward and inner strength.

To see our kids assimilate to this culture is a measure of amazing grace. This does not go without it's down days, I assure you. Public breastfeeding is something Tim is going to have to get used to and I believe Bobby is now aware that 150 people on a public bus is just a fact of daily life for us. Our new motto coming home from school is " You take the right side...I'll flank left...ready...set...PUSH!"  Victory is sweet when we all make the 4:00pm bus. That's when I buy them a 15cent BonIce at the half-way bus stop and thank God for another great day.

God is truly at work here in Ecuador. It is evident in the lives of the kids and staff at Alliance Academy. It is evident in the lives of the Pastor, house mothers and orphans at the Davis Fundacion. Our prayer is that it is becoming evident to our new neighbors up here on the 'big hill' (Matt 5:14-16). And by God's grace, it is evident in the lives of our family. We never would have guessed at this time a year ago we would be at this place, for this purpose.

It's great to be a part of His plan.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Alabama has been our Sweet Home home for over 11 years now. We chose to plant ourselves here after bouncing from Germany to Missouri to North Carolina only to finally land in the deep south. We have loved it here. Alabamians even embraced these two displaced Yankees, and that's one reason why we chose to raise our kids here. The importance of God, family, community (and let's face it - S.E.C football and BBQ) is something we wanted our kids to be apart of. 

In the past, we have been offered relocation packages from Bob's former jobs. Each time we have declined. Our answer was always,  "Nope, we like it here." Our answer was due in part to a corporation directing the move. Now, this relocation to Ecuador is an outright "Yes!" due wholly to God directing the move. 

As we finalize our last 3 days in Alabama, I am struggling with emotions like: bitter sweet vs. nervous excitement.  I look back on our 11 years of raising our kids at 2007 Eagle Hollow Circle and the many memories in that sweet house.  On the flip side, I look forward with anticipation to what God has in store for us in the next chapter of our lives in Ecuador. 

Bring it on.

Sweet Home Ecuador!

Less Hair, Less Teeth, Less Oxygen

Hey its been an interesting and exciting 18 hours prior to our first teams arrival.  Bob gave Tim and Brandon haircuts while Chris gave Cole and Kory the same.  The boys are looking sharp, you could take them for new recruits!  Last night Kendall came to the door with Cole who had lost half his tooth to a break dance session at the big house.  Although shaken up he rebounded after a movie and reassurance that it could be fixed.  Today he saw a dentist and it looks good as new!  Lastly, Tio Bill took several of us to the top of a 10,000ft mountain, hiking about 1500 ft from our dropoff point.  Had to be the hardest thing Ive done in a long while.  From our location, we see 3 volcano's no more than 50 miles away.  Tonight celebrating the creator who made this creation....

Dos Semanas

It is hard to believe its only been two weeks here in Ecuador!  It seems so much longer... Not sure if its the altitude, cultural adjustment, language and life assimilation or the simple fact that Ann isn't here to pick up after us?  All three families are adjusting well while trying to navigate a technological tightrope with WiFi to stay in touch with home. Today, the orphanage had its annual reunion in which several hundred people showed to celebrate their time here.  God is still in the business of changing lives and it was evident on the faces of the parents, grandparents and children.  There was prayer, traditional Ecuadoran dancing and a contemporary dance performance in which Maggie, Kayla, Katelyn and Lydia participated with other E -kids their age.   They did well with less than a weeks practice!  The last two weeks have been filled with getting adjusted and this week we're gearing up for our first teams this upcoming weekend.  In addition, our niece Kirby will be joining us thursday coming fresh from Peru serving at another orphanage.  Please pray that we are properly prepared and that the Lord determines the appointments and outcomes for the week!

Que Dios le bendiga!

Step 2- Saying Goodbye

It's very hard to let go of something. For example, our friends, family, our house, and Sadie, our dog. We have had that experience. For our family it is very hard to say goodbye. Us kids have grown up in such a good christian community. We are thankful for an amazing pastor, friends, church, and most of all, our GREAT GOD! For Bobby (little Bob) and Ann, we will be staying back until July 17, due to Bobby's drama camp. We said goodbye yesterday to Big Bob, Maggie, and Tim. They are getting things ready in Ecuador. Just as we said before  it's very hard to let go of family. But we know God's purpose in our lives and we are setting out to do it. As it says " For greater things have yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city"... and every single state, country, continent, and in every corner of the Earth.

Posted by Bobby (little Bob)

Step 1: Packing

They say the first step in making any big decision is making the step itself. I disagree. For us, the decision to move forward in faith and trust that the next chapter for our family would include a new global address was an easy one. We had been preparing for this for over three years. No, for us the big decisions these days are: "storage or Ecuador?" We are currently living among boxes. Lots and lots of boxes (and paper and bubble wrap - just ask a teenager how fun our house is right now!). But to be quite honest, I don't function well in chaos. I like to know where things are - not OCD about it, just in the general area. Packing for me is a lesson in humility. Not in, "I need my stuff"...we have rid ourselves of most of our  'stuff'  and what remains is going to storage. No, the humility comes in that fact of seeing my children pour through 11 years of being in this house and humbly pack things away with a smile and a memory. They are my biggest source of humility when it comes to why we are doing what we are doing. My husband, who is uber organized, has a list of what is to go where and on what week of our 'countdown to Ecuador' grid. God has blessed me with a team of packers that keep this journey humorous, humble and hopeful.